"8:00 at the railway
station" was the instruction. When I arrive exactly in time, railway
workers are preparing the train. Locomotives and railcars are shunted to
form the final set of equipment: the steam train, one passenger car and a
cargo wagon.Sacks are filled with coal
and either used to heat up the engine, or stored in the cargo wagon as a
reserve for the return trip.

At 9:30 the train leaves for
the 25 kilometer trip to Nefasit. The views from the train are
breathtaking, as it passes cliffs, valleys, tunnels and bridges. More then
once we pass the wreck of a car that must have overseen a curve in the
Asmara - Massawa road, with a fatal result.

Short stops on stations and
scenic highlights allow the passengers to make short walks around the
train and to make pictures, while the railway men load more cargo.
Children are surrounding the train with excitement and wave their hands to
us.

In Nefasit children are trying
to earn some money by presenting themselves as guides. They ask me if I
want to visit the Bizen monastry. Others want a pencil. But I didn't bring
any. I ignore them by choosing my own track through the village.

We have to wait until 14:00
for the group of Japanese adventure tourists that will make the trip from
Nefasit to Asmara, coming from Massawa by bus. They will be accompanied by
Eritrean racing cyclists, journalists of ERI-TV and representatives of the
Eritrean Ministry of Information..

Shortly after leaving Nefasit,
the train passes a bent with to much speed. The cargo wagon derails. Men
jump off the train and shout to the driver to stop the train. With three hydraulic
jacks the railway men try to push the wagon back on track, with no success.
The wagon is disconnected and cargo is moved to the locomotive and to the
balcony of the passenger car.

In Arberebou
we are guided through an underground facility that collects and stores
rain water and has specially been constructed to refill the steam
locomotives water tanks. More them once we have to step over a deep
concrete hole that is used as a water basin.

Using an outside track, we
descend the water storage hill to return to the train. As a result of the
unexpected delay, we arrive in Asmara at 17:00, where I pay the 50 dollar
for the trip, and say goodbye to the other passengers that will continue
their adventure tour.